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At tonight's NHL Awards, EA SPORTS announced that the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid will be the cover athlete for NHL 18. Along with this announcement, EA SPORTS released the official gameplay trailer and the feature set for the title.

Some of the features include: new Creative Attack skill moves, new Defensive Skill Stick, new Creative A.I. system, NHL THREES arcade 3-on-3 hockey, EASHL 3-on-3, Expansion Draft within Franchise Mode, HUT Solo Challenges, Hockey Training Camp, and more. Users can sign up for the NHL 18 beta at this link.

The game will be available September 15 with those who pre-order the Young Stars Edition getting the game on September 12. The Young Stars Edition will include a Connor McDavid Rookie HUT Player item, adidas Custom HUT Jersey, and EASHL celebration, along with one Rookie HUT Player item from the user's favorite NHL team.

Continue on to see the official gameplay trailer and the press release straight from EA SPORTS.
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The biggest inclusion is the addition of a new feature, Competitive Seasons, within Hockey Ultimate Team. This mode will allow users to compete in a monthly season format to earn rewards. The better the player fares each month, the better the reward that can be earned at the season's end.

Also included within this update are improvements/changes to gameplay, EASHL, and presentation, along with Tuner 1.02.

Similar to the mode of the same name in the Madden NFL franchise, NHL 17 will be adding the popular Draft Champions mode.

Utilizing a 12-round draft, users will pick from current and former players to build their team. Following the draft, the player can compete offline or online head-to-head where winning four games will help them unlock Draft Collectibles. These Collectibles can them be redeemed as part of sets for top-tier packs and items.

Continue on to see the Draft Champions trailer and to also read the blog entry with additional details from Associate Producer Jesse McLean.
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EA SPORTS has released a video and detailed blog detailing the changes and improvements coming to Franchise Mode in NHL 17.

This year, Be a GM has been rebranded as Franchise Mode and expanded to include complete control of the franchise with the addition of unique team owners that will have their own goals and expectations you must meet as team president. Each owner will be defined by their spending (budget), importance of success, and patience. When beginning a franchise, the owner will also present the user with Primary Goals, Secondary Goals and Stretch Goals. The goals can evolve as the league changes over time. Meet goals to stay employed; disappoint the owner enough and you could even find yourself fired mid-season.

As team president, users can set arena and facility prices, upgrade & maintain facilities, along with arena customization. Various factors (including foe, pricing, and team performance) will result in dynamic attendance throughout the season.

Continue on to see the Franchise Mode trailer and read the blog from EA SPORTS for information on team relocation, promotions, and season ticket drives.
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EA SPORTS is launching the NHL Rewards program to reward users with rewards such as in-game content (IE: Ultimate Team packs), entry into the NHL Superfan contest, 10% off shop.nhl.com purchases, along with 'surprises.'

Everyone who signs up for the free program will be entered into the NHL Superfan contest. One member will be selected as winner and be flown to EA Vancouver for a head-scan and placement into the crowd for their favorite team as a 'superfan.'

Continue on to read the blogs from EA SPORTS with more information on the NHL Rewards program and Superfan contest.
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Along with the NHL 17 cover vote, EA SPORTS has released a video detailing the developer's "vision" for this year's hockey title.

Legacy and establish your own unique legacy is the top theme emanating from the video. Among the new features briefly discussed or revealed in the clip are franchise relocation and the World Cup of Hockey. During the video narration, NHL 17 is being called by EA SPORTS as their "biggest and most exciting hockey game to date."

Continue on to see the NHL 17 'Vision' trailer, screenshots from the video, and then share your thoughts with the community.
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The NHL 17 cover athlete is currently underway and will be determined by fan vote. Eight players will vie for the cover, each representing one of the eight teams competing in the World Cup of Hockey - one of the new features announced for NHL 17.

The update addresses several gameplay bugs including an issue where players would remain in the penalty box for the duration of the game and an issue lining up on certain faceoffs, among other issues. It also adds Winter Classic and 3rd jerseys for numerous teams.

The EA SPORTS NHL development team has begun the release of player ratings for NHL 16.

Each day, the top ten at a new position will be released. Currently, the known top players in the game are center Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh at 96 OVR with three players (Toews, Price, and Weber) tied for second at 94 OVR.

Continue on to see the top ten players at each released position in NHL 16.
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Following the reveal of Ignite Engine at E3 2013, fans have been looking and expecting more from the 'Living Worlds' in EA SPORTS titles. The NHL franchise has been a leader in this regard and expands it even more in NHL 16.

In their latest developer blog, the franchise discusses the addition and inclusion of "signature effects and props that are synonymous with arenas from around the league."

NHL producer Sean Ramjagsingh has been answering community questions on other arena details via Twitter. Continue on to see arena screens and Twitter answers from Rammer.

Let us know what team/arena details they perfected or that you hope to see added in the NHL franchise.
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NHL 16's Be a GM mode will feature player morale, requiring the user to manage player personalities as they build a franchise and compete for the Stanley Cup. Every AHL and NHL player has a unique personality that the user must placate and nurture to keep them and the locker room happy. The four key components of player morale are locker room chemistry, player personality, team meetings, and player meetings.

Locker Room Chemistry - Each player will have fellow teammates and players list as having Best, High, and Low Locker Room Chemistry with them. 'Best' Chemistry could list a player on another team. Should you trade or demote a player that someone has high chemistry with, it could make them unhappy, lowering their morale and overall rating.

Player Personality - Some personalities will be happier with on-ice victories versus the status of the locker room. Others may care more about locker room harmony and less about other decisions made by the team.

Team Meetings - 30 different key events will allow the user to address the team. Depending on their current status and how you address them, their morale and overall rating will change.

Player Meetings - 20+ specific conversations with individual players can impact the individual player morale.

Continue on to read the blog from developer Brian Krause and video narrated by developer Andy Agostini.
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Following the legal investigation into Patrick Kane, EA SPORTS has dropped Kane from further involvement with the marketing and promotion of NHL 16, making Jonathan Toews the solo cover athlete for the title.

This is not the first time the NHL franchise has had to replace an announced cover athlete. In NHL 2004, the original cover athlete was Joe Thornton until he was replaced following assault charges. He was then replaced by Dany Heatley until he was replaced following a car accident that killed teammate Dan Synder, shifting the cover to Joe Sakic.
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Fresh off a Stanley Cup Championship, Chicago Blackhawk teammates Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have been announced as co-cover athletes for NHL 16.

The revealed 'cover' image has drawn significant criticism from the community, but it is unknown if it is the final version for retail. Traditionally, EA SPORTS has released a 'placeholder' cover for the initial athlete reveal only to update the cover following a photo shoot. However, their most recent cover reveals (Madden NFL 16, NBA Live 16, Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR) featured the final cover.

Continue on to see part of the press release from EA SPORTS and then share your thoughts with the community.
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Among the highlights are a new EA SPORTS Hockey League, full 6 vs. 6 Online Team Play, improvements to Be a GM and Be a Pro mode, and presentation improvements to make the game more immersive. These features apply only to the PS4 & XB1 versions of the game. (There will be a 'legacy' version of NHL for PS3 & 360 owners.) Continue on to see the full list of features via the early publishing
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